Device for marking golf balls



A ril 10, 1934. H, M. SEAGERS DEVICE FOR MARKING GOLF BALLS 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 20, 1931 J. a 2% m w m m m m 0 U Ziarr w W\Vllll will! II "w 11 w 7% I W E I N/m April 10, 1934. H. M. SEAGERSDEVICEFOR MARKING GOLF BALLS Filed Jan. 20, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR air-(3012M Seqyez; Y I Q 1 A 9 My ATTOR N EYS April 10, 1934.SEAGERS 1,953,992

DEVICE FOR MARKING GOLF BALLS Filed Jan. 20, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 1 Rm MW 4 Z i M m L w k m M x r m w w n. 1 Z 5 1K5 w H W J 5 a W J 1... 7flw Z O L W 6 y w 7 Ill u m 1 6 7 A m 0/0 x T0 m n w 1 v a w x a %0 4 .4fi W a 7/ Xww M3 Q 2 a wm April 10, 1934. H. M. SEAGERS DEVICE FORMARKING GOLF BALLS Filed Jan. 20, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR fiarmalzfifea w /9 v-p; ATTOR N EYS Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE Hulse Manufacturing a corporation of New ApplicationJanuary 20,

27 Claims.

Important objects of the present invention are, to provide a generallyimproved device for applying identification marks to game balls; toprovide a device for printing upon golf balls the ,5 names of the ownersneatly, legibly and ineifaceably; to provide such a device which will beeasy to operate; to provide such'a device embodying improved mechanicalfeatures rendering the device accuraie, reliable and durable; to providesuch a device embodying a printing mechanism and cooperating means ofimproved design for Supporting a ball to receive printed impressions,and for rotating the ball to properly space the impressions thereon; toprovide for convenient performance of the printing operations and thecharacter-spacing rotation of the ball by simple operations of a singlemanually operable means; to provide for convenient removal of the ballfrom its supportby an operation of said manually operable means; and toembody said features in a simple, compact, durable unit. Other ob jectsof the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the ball-marking device;

Fig. 2 a bottom plan view with the bottom plate removed disclosing themechanism in the base of the device; I

Fig. 3 a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the device, upon alarger scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 a View .of a golf ball with an identifying name printed upon it;

Fig. 5 a vertical longitudinal section taken through a portion of thedeviceshowing a printing operation thereof; 7

Fig. 6 a detail section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. l a view similar to Fig. 5 showing an operation of the device todislodge a ball from its holder;

Fig. 8 a transverse section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 a detail section taken on the line 99 of Fig. .3;

Fig. 10 a detail sectional view showing the engagement of thetype-centering and locking pin with the carriage;

Fig. 11 a side View of an adapter ringdesigned to be fitted into theball holder to form a seat for accommodating and holding a smaller ball;

and

Fig. 12 a sectional view showing the adapter ring mounted in the ballholder.

The device includes a base upon which a ball holder is mounted at afixed point for rotation.

Company, Geneva, N. Y., York 1931, Serial No. 509,926

(Cl. 19'i'--6.2)

A type carriage is mounted upon the base for lateral shifting past theball holder to position any selected one of a row of type at a fixedprinting point opposite a ball supported and frictionally held by theholder. A positioned type is projected against the ball by manuallyoperable means also mounted upon the base. At the under side of the baseis a mechanism for rotating the ball holder to space the printedirripressions upon the ball, and a mechanism for dislodging the ballfrom the holder. Both of these mechanisms are operated by the manuallyoperable means which effect the printing.

The base is a substantially flat, elongated casting 1 formed with adepending flange 2 extending entirely around it and defining a space forthe character-spacing and ball-dislodging mechanisms. This under spaceis closed by a bottom plate 3 which fits into the flange and .bearsagainst bosses 4 formed upon the under side of the base. These bossesform sockets which register with apertures in the bottom plate. Aplurality of rubber feet 5 for supporting the device have reduced shankswhich are passed through said registering apertures and sockets and arefrictionally engaged in the latter to releasably hold the bottom platein place.

Mounted upon the base, near what may be termed the front end thereof, isthe ball holder 6. The latter is of cup-like form and has afrustoconical inner wall forming an annular, down,- Wardly tapering ballseat 7 immediately below {the upper edge of the cup. Below said seat theinterior of the cup is cylindrical, as at 8. At its under side the cuphas afiat face 9 which bears against a flat, relieved seat 10 formedupon the base. A downwardly projecting, cylindrical 1.305 5 11 is formedcentrally upon the under side of the cup and forms a journal which isrotatably fittedin a bearing bore 12 in the relieved seat 10. At theunder side of the base aratchet wheel 1 3;is gletachably fastened to theboss 11 ,by screws 14. The boss is formed with a vertical central ,bore15 opening into the cup, and the ratchet wheel has an aperture 16registering with said 130, 76 to accommodate part of the ball-dislodgingmeans to be described hereinafter. The ratchet wheel forms part of thecharacter-spacing mechanism .also described hereinafter. A spring washer13' is interposed between the ratchet wheel 13 and the base .to offer aslight frictional resistance to the turning of the ratchet wheel and theball holder.

In plan the base is Wider at its front end, its sides converging towardthe rear, and the ball holder 6 is centrally located upon the wider end.To the rear of the ball holder is the printing mechanism which includesa type carriage 17. For shiftably supporting said carriage, a straight,fiat bar 18 is disposed cross-wise of the base directly back of the ballholder and rigidly held in a horizontal position by screws 19 whichfasten it to two spaced ears 20 formed upon the base near the oppositeside edges of the latter. The bar extends materially beyond the oppositesides of the base and near each end it has a forwardly projectingcarriage stop pin 21. In its rear face the bar has a straight groove 22extending the entire length of the bar.

The carriage comprises an elongated metal block 23 forming the carriagebody and having a deep groove 24 along its under side formed to slidablyfit the bar 18. The block is angular in cross section, its grooved lowerportion being vertioal and its upper portion inclining forward towardthe ball holder. Along its upper edge said inclined portion has a fiatface 25 which inclines forward and downward approximately toward thecenter of a ball supported by the holder. Supported upon the face 25 isa row of type members 26 each comprising a straight bar extending foreand aft transversely of the carriage and formed with a character type 27at its forward end. In the present instance there are twenty-six typemembers bearing the letters of the alphabet in type and disposed side toside along the carriage for independent fore-and-aft shifting. At itsopposite ends the block 23 is extended above the face 25 to formretaining projections 23 engaging the ends of the row of type members. Acover plate 28 is disposed over the row of type members to guide themand retain them upon the supporting face 25 and is detachably fastenedat its ends to the body of the carriage by carriage-shifting handlemembers 29. Each of the latter has a reduced threaded end which ispassed through an aperture in the cover plate and screwed into athreaded aperture in the carriage body. The plate is bent to form anelevated rear margin upon which is mounted an index strip 36 bearing theletters of the alphabet arranged correspondingly to the type letters anddirectly over the appropriate type members.

Mounted upon the rear face of the carriage body is a plate 31 slotted asat 32 to form an upwardly directed comb and having its lower margin bentforward to form a fiange 33 slidably fitted in the groove 21 of thecarriage-supporting bar 18. Thereby, the carriage is retained upon thebar. A rear cover plate 34 covers the comb portion of plate 31 and bothplates are detachably fastened to the carriage body by screws 35. Plate34 has its upper edge in contact with the under side of the row of typemembers. Fitted and retained in the slots 30 are wire springs 36 whichextend upward and forward from the comb and into cavities in the undersides of the type members. These springs are bent and under tension andtend to straighten and retract the type members to normal position.Ptearward movement of the type members is limited by contact of thesprings with the upper edge of plate 34. A stop 37 centrally locatedupon the front of the carriage is adapted to contact the fixed stops 21and limit the carriage movement.

In front of the type carriage are two inking rollers 38 disposed forinking the type when the carriage is shifted from side to side along thebar 18. These rollers are rotatably mounted in cups 39 which aresupported by leaf spring members 40 disposed at opposite sides of theball holder, fastened to the base by screws and serving to press therollers against the type.

The manual operating means of the printing mechanism is disposed in afixed position at the rear of the type carriage. For supporting saidmeans the base is formed with an upstanding car 41 disposed inlongitudinal alinement with the center of the ball holder and formedwith a longitudinal cleft 42. A type hammer 43 is disposed in theforward portion of said cleft and pivoted upon a pin 44 mounted in theear. The hammer has a forwardly extending nose 45 for engaging the rearend of any selected one of the type members and projecting the memberagainst the supported ball, and a tail. portion 46 extending rearward inthe cleft. At the rear of the type hammer is an operating lever 47pivoted within the cleft upon a pin 48. Forwardly of pin 48 the lever isforked to receive the tail 46 of the type hammer and form an actuatingfinger 49 for rocking the hammer forward and an edge 50 for rocking thehammer backward or retracting it. The lever also has an arm 51 extendingdownward through a slot 52 in the base. Rearwardly of its pivot the lever forms a long depressible operating handle.

Mounted in the ear 41, below the type hammer, is a centering and lockingmeans for accurately positioning a selected type with rela-- tion to theball, and locking the carriage against shifting during a printingoperation. A pin or bolt 53 is fitted to slide fore and aft through abore 54 opening through the front edge of the ear and has an enlargedhead fitted to slide in a larger bore 55 opening through the rear edgeof the ear. A compression spring 56 disposed in the bore 55 tends tothrust the pin rearward and holds the head in engagement with thedepending arm 51 of the operating lever. The pin has a pointed forwardend 57 normally disposed within the bore 54. The lower edge of the rearcover plate 34 of the type carriage is formed with V-shaped notches 58corresponding in number and spacing with the type members. For aprinting operation the carriage is shifted to position the appropriatetype mer..- ber into alinement, or approximate alinement, with the nose45 of the type hammer, as indicated by the appropriate letter upon theindex strip 30. Then, the handle of the operating lever is depressed torock the type hammer, bring the nose of the hammer against theregistered type member and force the latter forward for printing uponthe supported ball. There is a certain degree of clearance, however,between the nose of the ha1nmer and the type member so that before thelat ter is engaged and shifted for printing, the arm 51 of the leverthrusts the centering and locking pin 53 forward and causes the pointedend of the pin to enter an adjacent one of the notches 58. If said notchis not accurately centered with rela tion to the pin the pointed end ofthe latter will slightly shift the carriage to permit the pin to enterthe notch. Thereby the type is accurately trued and the carriage ispositively locked during the printing operation.

The depending lever arm 51 also serves to operate the letter-spacingmechanism. Said mechanism includes a lever 59 pivotally attachedintermediate its ends to the under side of the base by a screw 60, at apoint directly back of the ratchet wheel 13. The lever is disposedtransversely of the base and a ratchet dog 61 is pivoted as at 62,

.to one end of the lever and extends forward to operatively engage theteeth of the ratchet wheel. A torsion spring 63 encircles the pivot 64and engages the lever and a tail portion of the ratchet dog to yieldablypress the latter into engagement with the ratchet wheel. Pivotedlyconnected to the opposite end of the lever is an operating link 65 whichextends rearward and has a laterally offset eye 66 at its rear endthrough which the depending lever arm 51 extends. At its lower end saidarm is notched for retaining the link in op erative engagement with it,and at one side the eye 66 is notched as at 6'7 for passing it over theend of the lever arm. Anchored to the link directly back of itsconnection with the lever arm is a strong tension spring 68 whichextends rearward and has its rear end anchored to a fixed pin 69 at theunder side of the base. Said spring acts through the lever arm 51 torestore the operating lever and the type hammer to normal position aftera printing operation. It also tends to pull the link 65 rearward androck the ratchet lever 59 to thrust the ratchet dog forward. Thistendency is normally resisted however by the operating lever whoseupward swing to normal position is limited by contact of its finger 49with the bottom of the cleft in the ear 41.

When the operating handle is depressed, against the resistance of spring68, the link 65 is pushed forward and the ratchet lever 59 is rocked toswing the ratchet dog 61 rearward away from the ratchet wheel to set thedog for a feed stroke. When the pressure upon the operating handle isrelieved the handle is elevated to normal position by spring 68, and thelink 65 is pulled rearward to rock the ratchet wheel in a reversedirection and thrust theratchet dog forward to reengage the ratchetwheel and rotate the latter and its attached ball holder one step forletter spacing. Upon the ratchet lever 59 is a stop 59 which limits theswing of the ratchet dog under the influence of spring 63 when the dogis swung,

free from the ratchet wheel. When the ratchet is thrust forward on itsfeed stroke, stop 59 engages a tooth of the ratchet wheel and limits therotation of the wheel.

The operating lever and the locking pin 53 also serve to operate amechanism for dislodging a ball from the cup-like holder. Fitted forvertical shifting through the bore 15 in the ball holder and theaperture 16 in the ratchet is a plunger pin '"70. A rod '71 isoperatively connected to the latter, the rod having a spherical end 72which projects into an aperture in the plunger. From the plunger the rod'71 extends rearward and has a reduced rear end. A bracket '73 issecured to the under side of the base by a screw '74 and has a dependingcar '75. Said ear has an aperture in which the reduced end of rod 71 isloosely sup ported so that the rod may swing up and down. An operatinglink '76 has an eye '77 pivoted upon the rod intermediate the ends ofthe latter and extends upward through a transverse slot in the basedirectly rearward of the carriage-supporting bar 18. At its upper endlink 76 is formed with a head '78 having oppositely inclined upper edges'79 and an aperture 80 which tapers forwardly. Two spring fingers 81 areclamped to the base by a bracket plate 82 held by screw 74, and extendforward to engage the opposite sides-of the link "76 and yieldably holdit upright with its aperture 80 in front of the locking pin 53 butslightly below the center line of the pin. A head upon the pin '70, andnormally countersunk within the cup 6, maintains this relation.

When the link is in upright position its head is disposed in the path ofthe retaining flange 33 of the carriage so that when the carriage isshifted from either of its extreme positions to a printing position saidflange will engage the link head and rock the link to one side or theother entirely clear of the pin 53. The carriage flange 33 slidablyengages one of the edges '79 of the link and holds the latter rockedaside while the carriage is in printing position. The locking pin maytherefore be projected to carriage-locking position without any effectupon the ball-dislodging mechanism. When, however, the carriage isshifted to either side, out of printing position, the link is freed-andone or the other of the springs 81 returns it to upright position. Then,upon depression of the operating lever and projection of the pin 53 thepointed end of the pin will be forced through the aperture of the linkand exert a camming action which will raise the link and the rockablerod 71 and project the plunger '70 upward into the ball-supporting cup,

as shown in Fig. "7. The ball is engaged by the plunger and dislodgedfrom its tapered seat so that it maybe easily removed. An aperture 83 inthe carriage supporting bar 18 provides clearance for the end of theprojected pin. Upon re lease of the operating lever and its return tonormal position the pin 53 is retracted by the spring 56 and withdrawnfrom the aperture 86 of the link '76. Thereupon, the plunger '70, rod'71 and link '76 drop to normal position.

The depression of the operating handle 4'7 is limited by a stop screw 47which is adjustably screwed into the base and locked by a jam nut 47 Bydepression of the handle each time until it contacts the stop screw,uniformity of printing is insured.

To summarize the operation of the device: A golf ball 13 is placed inthe cup-like holder 6 where it wedges slightly in the tapered ball seat'7 and is frictionally held to rotate with the holder. The type carriageis shifted to register the appro priate letter upon the index strip 30with the type hammer 43 and the operating handle is depressed to firstproject the type-centering and carriages locking pin 53 and next causethe positioned type to be pressed against the ball as shown in Fig. 5.The type are preferably deeply cut and the operating handle ispreferably forced down as far as the stop screw will permit, to pressthe type deeply into the pitted surface of the ball and make a cleancut,permanent printed impression. The impressions are made in a; directionobliquely downward, radially of the ball, and tend to firmly wedge theball in its seat and prevent accidental shifting, and consequent unevenspacing of the printed characters. Characterpacing rotation of the ballholder 6 is effected by the operating lever and the spring 68 operatingupon the ratchet mechanism within the base. By depressing the plunger'70 within the ball holder to engage the balland force it from itstapered seat, as shown in Fig. '7. The centering of the type, thelocking of the carriage, the printing, the spacing of the characters andthe dislodging of the hell are all accomplished conveniently by itsoperating the lever 4'7. The device is designed throughout to render itefficient, reliable and durable.

The ball holder 6 is preferably formed to accommodate golf balls of anapproved standard size. For accommodating the holder to balls of asmaller size an adapter ring 84 is provided. This ring is designed forfitting into the cup-like ball holder. It has a downwardly tapering ballseat portion 85 fittable into the ball seat '7 of the holder, an upperflange 86 to rest upon the upper edge of the holder, and a cylindricallower portion 87. Said lower portion has a plurality of bayonet slots 88opening through its lower edge and adapted to interlock with pins 89fixed in the ball holder, to releasably hold the adapter in place.

What I claim is:

l. A device for marking a ball comprising a printing mechanism having afixed printing point; a ball holder having a downwardly tapered ballseat for frictionally holding a ball; a mounting for said ball holdersupporting it for rotation to bring spaced points on the ball surface tosaid printing point for marking by the printing mechanism; and mechanismfor automatically rotating the holder a predetermined degree after eachprinting operation for spacing the printed marks.

2. A device for marking balls, comprising a rotatably mounted ballholder; a type carriage bearing a plurality of individually shiftabletype members and mounted for shifting past the ball holder to positionany selected one of the type members in printing relation to a ballsupported by the holder; manually operable means to force a positionedtype member against the supported ball for printing a character thereon;and means operable by said manually operable means to free the ball fromits holder.

3. A device for marking balls comprising a group of marking elementsmounted for shifting; a ball holder; means supporting said ball holderand group of marking elements for relative shifting to position anyselected one of the marking elements in operative relation to a ballsupported by the holder; manually operable means to shift the positionedmarking element for marking the ball; a mark-spacing mechanism to causerelative step-by-step movement between the supported ball and the group0* marking elements for spacing marks upon the ball; and means operableby said manually operable means to free the ball from the holder.

4. A device for marking a ball, comprising a rotatably mounted upwardlyopening cup-like ball holder having a downwardly tapering ball seat forfrictionally holding the ball with the upper portion thereof exposed; atype carriage bearing a plurality of shiftable type members and mountedfor shifting past the ball holder to position any selected one of thetype members in a printing relation to the exposed portion of the ball;

manually operable means for shifting the positioned type member againstthe supported ball for printing a characted thereon; a mechanismcontrolled by said manually operable means to rotate the ball holder andball-step-by-step for character spacing; and means operable by saidmanually operable means to dislodge thev ball from said tapered seat.

5. A device to marking a ball, comprising a rotatably mounted ballholder having a downwardly tapering ball seat for frictionally holdingthe ball with the upper portion thereof exposed; and a type carriagebearing a plurality of shiftable type members and mounted for shiftingpast the ball holder to position any selected one of said type membersinto a printing relation with the supported ball, the type members beingsupported by the carriage for shifting obliquely downward toward theball substantially radially of the latter for printing a mark thereon.

6. A device for marking a ball, comprising a rotatably mounted ballholder having a downwardly tapering ball seat for frictionally holdingthe ball with the upper portion thereof exposed; a type carriage bearinga plurality of shiftable type members and mounted for shifting past theball holder to position any selected one of said type members into aprinting relation with the supported ball, the type members beingsupported by the carriage for shifting obliquely downward toward theball substantially radially of the latter for printing a mark thereon;and means for rotating the ball holder step by step for markspacing.

7. A device for marking a ball, comprising a rotatably mounted ballholder having a downwardly tapering ball seat for frictionally holdingthe ball with the upper portion thereof exposed; a type carriage bearinga plurality of individually shiftable type members and mounted forshifting past the ball holder to position any selected one of said typemembers into a printing relation with the supported ball, the typemembers being supported by the carriage for shifting obliquely downwartoward the ball substantially radially of the latter; manually operablemeans for shifting the positioned type member against the ball forprinting a character thereon; a mechanism operated by said manuallyoperable means for causing rotation of the ball holder and ball forcharacter spacing; and means operable by said manually operable meansfor dislodging the ball from its tapered seat.

8. A device for marking a ball, comprising a ball holder having adownwardly tapering seat for frictionally holding the ball with theupper portion thereof exposed; and a type member mounted for shiftingobliquely downward against the exposed portion of the ball for printinga mark thereon.

9. A device for marking balls, comprising a rotatably mounted ballholder; a type carriage bearing a plurality of individually shiftabletype members and mounted for shifting past the ball holder to positionany selected one of the type members in a printing relation to a ballsupported by the holder; manually operable means to shift a positionedtype member against the ball for printing a mark thereon, the carriagebeing shiftable to a position wherein all of the type members are out ofprinting relation with the ball; and a mechanism operable by saidmanually operable means when the carriage is in said position to freethe ball from the holder.

10. A device for marking balls, comprising a rotatably mounted ballholder; a type carriage bearing a plurality of individually shiftabletype members and mounted for shifting past the ball holder to positionany selected one of the type members in a printing relation to a ballsupported by the holder; manually operable means to shift a positionedtype member against the ball for printing a mark thereon, the carriagebeing shiftable to a position wherein all of the type members are out ofprinting relation with the ball; a mechanism operable by said manuallyoperable means when the carriage is in said position to free the ballfrom the holder; and

means operated by the carriage to render said {the medium of saidlocking means to dislodge the ball from the holder when the carriage isin position disposing the type means out of register with the ball.

12. A device for marking a ball, comprising a rotatably mounted ballholder; a type carriage bearing a plurality of individually shiftabletype members and mounted for shifting past the ball holder to positionany selected one of said type members in printing register with a ballsupported by the holder, the carriage being also shiftable to anon-printing position with all of the type members out of register withthe ball; a lever manually operable for shifting a positioned typemember for printing a mark upon the ball; a type-centering andcarriage-locking member shiftable by said lever to engage and hold thetype carriage during a printing operation; and a mechanism fordislodging the ball from the holder including a rockable memberengageable by the type carriage for rocking thereby out of the path ofsaid locking member when the carriage is in position for a printingoperation, and means to swing the rockable member into the path of saidlocking member when the carriage is in non-printing position clear ofthe rockable member, the latter being then engageable by the lockingmember to operate the ball-dislodging mechanism when the lever isoperated.

13. A device for marking balls, comprising a rotatably mounted ballholder; a carriage bearing type means and mounted for shifting the type"means into and out of printing register with a ball supported by theholder; manually operable means for operating the type means to print amark upon the ball; locking means operable by said manually operablemeans to hold the carriage against shifting during a printing operation;means operable by said manually operable means to dislodge the ball fromthe holder when the carriage is in position disposing the type means outof register with the ball; and means operable by said manually operablemeans to cause rotation of the holder a step after each printingoperation, for spacing the printed marks upon the ball.

14. A device for marking balls, comprising a rotatably mounted cup-likeball holder having a downwardly tapering ball seat; an adapter ringremovably fittable in said ball holder and forming a downwardly taperingball seat of less diameter than said first seat; and a mechanismdiameter than said first seat; means to detachably hold said adapterring in place and lock it to rotate with said holder; and a mechanismfor printing upon a ball supported in the holder.

16. A device for making a'ball, comprising an annular ball holderopening upward to permit insertion and removal of the ball and formed tohold the ball in a mark-receiving position with a portion of the ballexposed above the holder; a marking mechanism operable to apply marks tothe exposed portion of the ball; and a mounting for the ball holdersupporting it for rotation about a vertical axis to rotate the ball formark spacing therearound.

17. A device for marking a ball, comprising a ball holder opening upwardto permit insertion and removal of the ball and adapted to hold the hallwith an portion thereof exposed; a mounting for sai holder supporting itfor rotation about a vertical axis; a ball-marking mechanism includ'ncarriage disposed at one side of the ball holder and bearing a pluralityof ball rs mounted on the carriage for individual ling obliquelydownward to apply a mark to said exposed portion of the ball, a mountingfor said carriage supporting it to shift past the ball holder along ahorizontal straight line to bring any one of the markers into markingregister with the ball, and an operating handle depressible to shift aregistered marker toward the ball for marking it; and a mark-spacingmechanism to rotate the ball holder and ball, including a ratchet Wheelfixed to the ball holder, a shiftable feed pawl to engage said ratchetwheel and rotate it, an

operative connection between the operating handle and said pawl toretract the latter when the handle is depressed, and a springoperatively connected to the handle and to the pawl to elevate thehandle and move the pawl on its feed stroke.

18. A device for marking a ball, comprising a ball holder opening upwardto permit insertion and removal of the ball and adapted to hold the ballwith an upper portion thereof exposed; a: mounting for said holdersupporting it for rotation about a vertical axis; and a ball-markingmechanism including a carriage disposed at one side of the ball holderand bearing a plurality of ball markers mounted on the carriage forindividual shifting obliquely downward to apply a mark to said exposedportion of the ball, a mounting for said carriage supporting it to shiftpast the ball holder along a horizontal straight line to bring any oneof the markers into marking register with the ball; and manuallyoperable means to shift a registered marker to mark the ball. 1

19. A device for marking a ball, comprising a. ball holder to supportthe ball for marking it; a. mounting for said holder supporting it forrotation; a ball-marking mechanism including a carriage disposed at oneside of the ball holder and bearing a plurality of ball markers mountedon the carriage for individual shifting obliquely downward to apply amark to the ball, a mounting for said carriage supporting it to shiftpast the ball holder to bring any one of the markers into markingregister with the ball, and an operating handle depressible to shift aregistered marker toward the ball for marking it; a mark-spacingmechanism to rotate the ball holder and ball; and spring means toelevate the operating handle after a marking operation and cause aspacing operation of said mark-spacing mechanism.

20. A device for marking a ball, comprising a ball holder opening upwardto permit insertion and removal of the ball and adapted to frictionallyhold the ball with an upper portion thereof exposed; a mounting for saidholder supporting it for rotation about a vertical axis; a ball-markingmechanism including a carriage disposed at one side of the ball holderand bearing a plurality of ball markers mounted on the carriage forindividual shifting obliquely downward to apply a mark to said exposedportion of the ball, a mounting for said carriage supporting it to shiftpast the ball holder along a horizontal straight line to bring any oneof the markers into marking register with the ball, and an operatinghandle depressible to shift a registered marker toward the ball formarking it, said ball holder, carriage and operating handle beingdisposed in tandem relation; and a mark-spacing mechanism controlled bysaid handle to rotate the ball holder and ball step-bystep.

21. A device for marking a ball, comprising a ball holder opening upwardto permit insertion and removal of the ball and formed to hold the ballwith an upper portion thereof exposed; and a ball-marking mechanismincluding a carriage disposed at one side of the ball holder and bearinga plurality of ball markers mounted on the carriage for individualshifting downward to apply a mark to said exposed portion of the ball, amounting for said carriage supporting it to shift past the ball holderto bring any one of the markers into register with the ball, and anoperating handle depressible to shift a registered marker toward theball for marking it, said ball holder, carriage and operating handlebeing disposed in tandem relation with the carriage located between theball holder and the operating handle.

22. A device for marking a ball comprising an upwardly opening ballholder adapted to frictionally hold the ball with a zone of the ballexposed above the holder; a mounting for said holder supporting it forrotation about a substantially vertical axis; and a marking elementmounted for shifting obliquely downward approximately radially of thesupported ball to mark the latter in said exposed zone thereof.

23. A device for marking a ball comprising a ball holder having an openfree end and adapted to frictionally hold the ball with a zone of theball exposed beyond the free edge of the holder; a

a mounting for said holder supporting it for rotation about a centralaxis; a marking element mounted for shifting toward the ball holder,obliquely of the axis of rotation of the ball holder, and approximatelyradially of the supported ball to mark the latter in said exposed zonethereof; and mechanism to rotate the ball holder stepby-step for markspacing around said zone.

25. A device for marking a ball comprising an open cup-like ball holderhaving a ball seat tapering inward from the open end of the holder tofrictionally hold the ball with a zone thereof exposed beyond the openend of the holder; a mounting for said holder supporting it for rotationabout its central axis; a marking element mounted for shifting obliquelyof said axis of the ball holder inwardly toward the open end of theholder and approximately radially of the supported ball to mark thelatter; manually operable means to shift said marking element to markthe ball; and means controlled by said manually operable means to rotatethe ball holder step-bystep for mark spacing around said zone of theball.

26. A device for marking a ball comprising an upwardly opening ballholder adapted to frictionally hold the ball with a zone thereof abovethe center of the ball exposed above the holder; a mounting for saidholder supporting it for rotation about a substantially vertical axis; apinrality of marking elements; a carriage bearing said marking elementsand mounted to shift past the ball holder to bring any one of saidelements opposite said exposed zone of the ball and supporting theelements for movement obliquely into and out of alignment with thesupported ball and mounted for shifting against the ball for marking it;manually operable means to shift said marking element against the ball;an ejector plunger mounted to shift into the ball holder to dislodge theball; and means operable by said manually operable means when themarking element is shifted out of alignment with the ball to shift saidplunger to dislodge the ball.

HARRISON M. SEAGERS.

